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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#356826: Feb 22nd 2021 at 6:51:25 AM

Axios: Trump is going to claim total control of the GOP in his CPAC speech

I was wondering how long that would take. When you invite a fascist into your home, he doesn't leave. It becomes his home now. You can see yourself out.

That's how fascism works.

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Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#356827: Feb 22nd 2021 at 6:53:40 AM

And considering he still has many loyalists in the GOP, he may well succeed.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#356828: Feb 22nd 2021 at 6:58:42 AM

I sincerely doubt that. One of the things the election showed is the fact that Trump's pool of support is small among the actual GOP leadership. They wanted his support but did not actually want him in office.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#356829: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:05:12 AM

The leadership however isn't anointed, they need to win primaries and you know perfectly well that it needs to lick Dear Leader's boots to make it (uncommon exceptions like Romney aside).

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#356830: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:05:57 AM

Trump's threats to start a new party give him leverage. A poll on the previous page indicated that just under half of Trump voters would split with Republicans and go with him if he did.

It's not enough to win elections, but it's more than enough to cripple the GOP electorally if they don't fall in line. Trump isn't here for the ideology; he wants the power and status. If he can't have it, why not burn the house down?

Trump has a very strong negotiating position here.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:06:53 AM

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sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#356831: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:09:09 AM

Yeah. My big worry is that Trump may well succeed thanks to the inherent spinelessness seen in most Republicans.

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#356832: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:09:29 AM

My friends, this might be an historic moment. We could be looking at the final dissolution of the Republican Party. There's no way to know for certain, of course, everything that we see and hear may simply be theater designed to provoke the base while the real negotiations happen in backrooms. But based one what has happened so far, and on Trump's personality, there is a significant chance that the Republican Party could split, destroying it's chances of ever winning another national election. This could be the most amazing thing to happen in almost a century.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#356833: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:09:51 AM

Interestingly (though perhaps not surprisingly, given 1/6), Pence declined the invitation to speak at CPAC.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#356834: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:19:08 AM

I wouldn't count this chicken before it hatches. Most likely outcome is the GOP will fall in line and march in lockstep with Trump as they've been doing for the past four years. To do anything else would be an existential threat to their ability to consolidate power.

Trump has his finger on a nuclear option and the GOP is notoriously self-serving.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:20:04 AM

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Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#356835: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:35:46 AM

Well, we'll just have to see what happens at CPAC.

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#356836: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:38:16 AM

Eh. I doubt it is anything more than blunder.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#356837: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:43:03 AM

I don't think they will, primarily because Trump's demands are insane. It's a Rock and a Hard Place situation but the fact is that Trump wants nothing from the GOP other than their complete obedience and when they DO give it, it just results in them getting fucked over anyway.

See Attorney General Bill Barr. A man who broke the law repeatedly for Trump but found his home still picketed by dangerous Trumpists who demanded his head because he wouldn't go after Obama or Biden, things that could very well get him killed.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they really just wished Trump would slip on a cheeseburger wrapper.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:43:44 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#356838: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:51:55 AM

Well, if that March 4th second insurrection is true, the GOP might get an "out" condemning the hell out of it and who, you know, is actually responsible for it. Course, that would also lead to them losing several Senate and House seats. grin

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#356839: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:53:59 AM

If it's a choice between being fucked over but keeping votes versus being fucked right out of power and never being a competitive party again, Republicans will choose the former. They would rather lick Trump's boots from the halls of Congress than be "Mr. Cruz, unemployed".

Even if they do wish Trump would slip on a cheeseburger wrapper, they will fall in line. It's not about liking Trump. It's about being afraid of the consequences of saying no to him. Trump has the power, right here and right now, to destroy them all.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:55:22 AM

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Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#356840: Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:55:59 AM

Probably what is going to happen, is that Trump will do his bluster at CPAC, the Republican Party such as McConnel and everyone else will taper down their expectations and when election times come little to nothing will change.

The GOP is a slimy self serving institution that would rather feign ignorance, disinterest and dignity for their own profit. When the time comes, and only then, they will show support for Trump, unless he becomes too much of a liability.

Cruz has a humiliation fetish, Gaetz is high on BRAINFORCE pills and Qanon congresswoman was kicked out of eveyrthing so she literally has nothing better to do and no one has paid attention to her in her entire life that you can count on her going deeper and deeper in what she says for the purpose of keeping the spotlight.

And the GOP will turn on them, or for them, as profit drives. The USD $75 million at hand of Trump is a bit of cash yeah but doesn't sound like enough for those greedy fuckers if you ask me.

I am not going to wield the argument that people are catching on to the grifting of Trump, and that consequences will be reaped, cuz' they won't cuz the GOP likes their sty too much and are too comfortable in it, so they will keep digging deeper and deeper.

And there's not really anyone who stands on a feasible position to keep it from happening.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Pendrake That Guy from "Sweet Something of.... Someplace!" (Canada) Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Betrayed by Delilah
That Guy
#356841: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:02:09 AM

Well, I'm at least gonna say that as what's happening stands, the Republican Party's still going to have taken a hefty kick in a nuts for awhile. whether that lasts through 2022 is hard to say.

Semper Fi. Semper Paratus. Vigilo Confido.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#356842: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:42:12 AM

I should point out that Trump's massive support isn't as massive as it seems because, again, while he energized the GOP—he ALSO ENERGIZED DEMOCRATS. The Republicans have lost the Senate in large part because of Trump.

And he's not helping their budget either because massive numbers of donors donated to Trump instead of the GOP—and he stole that money.

He's not really a Golden Goose.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#356843: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:44:46 AM

It doesn't matter if he's a Golden Goose or not. It matters that half of their voterbase is more loyal to him than they are to them.

For a Republican, that is a problem.

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DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#356844: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:45:53 AM

BREAKING NEWS: The Supreme Court will not stop Manhattan's District Attorney from getting Trump's Tax Returns, finally forcing Trump and his associates to hand over Trump's Taxes to New York.

Though we, the public, still won't get the full picture of Trump's taxes for some time, if Trump's done anything scummy (and let's face it he most likely has), we'll most likely see arrests before the end of the year.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#356845: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:46:31 AM

Uh, Trump's taxes were already leaked weren't they?

We know he paid only 600 dollars and is in massive billion dollar debt because of them.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
TitanJump Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: Singularity
#356846: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:47:16 AM

Trump is not a "Golden Goose"

He's a "Golden Calf"

He drains money from everyone else like a black hole and is falsely worshiped by a cult that considers him "Greater than God" by the MAGA-mob.

Simple as that.

Also, he is the self-proclaimed "King of Debt" and has lived in debt for so long that he himself admitted that if he ever had gained a profit even once, he "wouldn't know what to do with it."

Edited by TitanJump on Feb 22nd 2021 at 5:50:05 PM

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#356847: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:50:57 AM

That, yes. The issue with Trump is that it's not about what Republicans gain by working with him. It is, and always has been, about what they lose by denying him.

Literally just last week, Republicans voted to exonerate him for inciting a violent insurrection to murder them and preserve his ability to run again in the election. People have been saying "Surely TOMORROW is the day the Republicans will finally stand up to Trump!" for four years. It's not going to happen.

Trump claimed ownership of the Republican Party four years ago when he claimed the cult-like loyalty of their voters. Republican politicians may hate him in private, in their most secret of secrets, but they need his voters. And so they bend the knee, time and time again, to Trump. And if that leads to a death spiral for their party, then they would sooner death spiral with Trump at the helm than self-destruct by letting him split their party.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:53:26 AM

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DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#356848: Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:51:04 AM

[up]x3 Some of Trump's tax returns were leaked, but not all of them. This will allow the Manhattan DA complete access to all of his Tax Returns.

Edited by DingoWalley1 on Feb 22nd 2021 at 11:51:32 AM

BrendanRizzo Since: Jan, 2015
#356849: Feb 22nd 2021 at 9:21:28 AM

[up][up]So we'll never be rid of Trumpism, then. People have been predicting the breakup or collapse of the GOP for more than a decade at this point. It hasn't ever happened.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#356850: Feb 22nd 2021 at 9:22:54 AM

[up]This is fallacious, just because people have been falsely predicting something doesn't mean that it can't happen.

Furthermore, forever is a long time. It's not useful to talk in such terms, it's more accurate to say that we'll have to deal with it for a while.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang

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